How To Start Journaling (And Keep It Up!)

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It’s no secret that over the last few years journaling has become incredibly popular. And there's a good reason for it. Getting your thoughts out and expressing yourself can help you deal with any overwhelming emotions, manage anxiety, help prioritise any problems, fears, or concerns, and provide a space for positive self-talk, acceptance, and growth. 

But how do you start and what can you do to keep it up?

Find your why…

To begin with, the most important thing to ask yourself is why you want to journal. While you don’t always need a definitive reason to write in a journal, it’s good to think about and consider what you hope journaling will help you accomplish. Do you want somewhere to note down and track goals? Do you want to improve your writing abilities? Are you hoping to understand your emotions a little better? Or do you just need somewhere to decompress at the end of the day? There are hundreds of reasons why people start to journal, so take some time to think about what you’ll use your time for.

Find a technique that works for you…

Journaling isn’t a one size fits all hobby. There are all sorts of different kinds. Reflective journaling is perhaps the most commonly thought of; where you take some time to write/think about your feelings, your day, what you want from life and from yourself. Then there’s bullet journalling, which has become incredibly popular recently; it’s more like a next-level diary, for both writing and drawing. This type of journaling is all about different sections logging daily to-dos, notes, mental health reflections, and both short and long term goals. There’s art journaling, which is more visual than written. Gratitude journaling which is purely about finding things you’re thankful for and making that a habit. Stream of consciousness journaling; where there’s no real focus, apart from writing for a designated time, jotting down anything that comes to mind. And so may more different types! And of course, where you journal is also something to think about; are you going to do it in a physical, tangible way in a notepad, sketchbook, or diary? Or are you more digital and prefer typing things in documents or creating digital art? Have a think about what works for you.

Make it a (self) judgement free zone

Journaling isn’t supposed to be perfect, so don’t get hung up on your writing style or even if you’re ‘writing the right things’. This is a place solely for you, an extension of your inner thoughts, a safe space to just be yourself. So don’t put too much pressure on yourself, keep it fun and don’t make it feel like a chore. If you think that reading back over what you’ve written might get you frustrated at spelling errors (or anything similar) then don’t do it! Or, only go back to previous entries after a specified amount of time. So, write everything for a month, and don’t review it until the end of the next month. 

Keep expectations realistic…

It’s also important to remember that although you want to make journaling a positive habit and part of your life, it doesn’t have to rule it. You’re not writing the next best-selling novel, you’re not getting paid to meet a strict deadline, so don’t get frustrated if some days you have a lot to say and some you can’t even write more than two sentences. Not every day is the same, and there might even be days (or weeks!) that you forget to write at all. And that’s okay. Take it at your own speed, and give yourself some loose expectations that won’t pile on any guilt if you don’t quite meet them.

Mix up your environment…

If sitting in the same spot to journal feels a bit repetitive and uninspiring, mix it up. Go to a park or local cafe, the library, take a day trip and keep note of how you’re feeling throughout. Even just move from your bedroom to the kitchen or the garden! Find inspiration every day and let yourself have some variety when it comes time to get journaling. 

Use prompts if you need to…

Like we’ve said already, keeping a journal shouldn’t feel like a chore, and shouldn’t be something that makes you frustrated. So why not think about some prompts you can use if there are days where either nothing has happened or you’re not quite sure what to put down. Here are just a few to set you off, but have a think about some questions or topics that might spark inspiration on those quieter days.
- What I’m grateful for today
- What challenged me today
- What surprised me today
- The smallest thing that made a difference
- A daily, positive, affirmation

Get creative

Lastly, journaling doesn’t even always need to be writing! As we’ve seen above, there are loads of different types of journaling, and you absolutely don’t need to stick to one throughout your process. Okay, so you might have started with a long-form diary-esque written format. But what if tomorrow, you have the urge to do a double page spread filling the page with drawings? That’s totally cool! Express yourself in the way you need to at the moment. Maybe that means drawing a picture, making a collage of things you used/found that day (cinema tickets, leaves from the ground etc), poetry, sticking in photos, or even noting down the lyrics from your favourite song. It’s totally up to you!

Now that you’ve got the basics sorted, it’s time to start. So what are you waiting for, ready, set, journal!